UBC Hot Lunch

Hot Lunch is a cross-campus staff networking initiative hosted by St. John’s College and co-sponsored by the office of each of the Vice-Presidents with the special support of Human Resources.

Background

The Hot Lunch Initiative began in January 2014 to address the need for staff-centric community building at UBC. We know that many of us recognize the challenge in creating meaningful conversations and connections between staff from different bargaining units and departments.

For over a decade, staff have gathered at UBC over a hot lunch to learn from each other, meet senior leaders, and engage in meaningful conversations with familiar and unfamiliar colleagues across the institution. Hosted by St. John’s College and supported operationally by SJC staff, Hot Lunch has been cited multiple times as one of the reasons UBC was chosen as one of BC’s top employers.

Vision

We envision a community at UBC where staff feel connected, supported, and part of the social fabric and academic mission in a way that is meaningful, inclusive, and relational.

Mission

The Hot Lunch Initiative seeks to provide opportunities for UBC staff to make connections with one another over food while listening to a speaker from our UBC community.

Hot Lunch empowers staff to:

1. Feel a sense of belonging in a warm and collegial atmosphere over a hot meal
2. Build community across job families, roles, and units
3. Find opportunities to be a part of conversations with UBC leaders in an equitable and accessible forum where everyone has the opportunity to listen, discuss and ask questions

What people are saying…

The option of a virtual environment really helped to tear down walls and silos between campuses.

– Staff Member

Hot Lunch feels like having a regular small neighborhood gathering – there is a sense of community which is hard to come by in other areas of my work at UBC. I value it so much – please continue your efforts.

– Staff Member